Drilling Starts in Tulu Moye Geothermal Project

Drilling has started in the Tulu Moye geothermal project in Ethiopia. Tulu Moye Geothermal (TMGO), is a joint venture between Meridiam and Reykjavik Geothermal (RG), working on the 1st phase of a 50 MW geothermal power plant project in Tulu Moye, Ethiopia. The Tulu Moye geothermal area is located about 150 km southeast of Addis Ababa and 15 km from the town Iteya. 

Mannvit-Verkis is TMGO’s Owner’s Engineer, taking care of drilling supervision during geothermal drilling at Tulu Moye. The purpose of the drilling supervisors is to be in charge and monitor drilling operation. A recent TMGO newsletter states that „during drilling the supervisors will operate on behalf of TMGO and handle daily communication with the drilling contractor on site. During the drilling of the first exploration wells there will be two Drilling Supervisors from Owner’s Engineers on site, running shifts. The first Drilling Supervisor on site was Mr. Péter Kazár from Mannvit‘s Hungary office. Péter is a Petroleum Engineer with a MSc. From Miskolc University in Hungary. Péter is experienced within well design, stimulation technology and drilling supervision." Now the two Drilling Supervisors on site, Mr. Kristjansson and Mr. Árnason, are both from Mannvit's Icelandic office.

The Request for Qualification documents for the power plant contractor was issued March 12. The Request for Proposals for the geothermal power plant work for Tulu Moye is expected to be published late May of this year.

Mannvit in cooperation with Verkís (M-V) is the Owner's Engineer for drilling, resource gathering system and civil works in the Tulu Moye Geothermal Power Plant Project. M-V collaborates with Landsvirkjun Power, ÍSOR and MGM Consult for this project. The group provides consulting for the drilling of 12 production and reinjection wells.

Photos: Drill site, Mannvit (P.Kazár)